Current President: Donald Trump’s Second Term

Who is the President of the United States now? Donald Trump. As of December 2025, Donald Trump serves as the 47th President of the United States. He won the 2024 presidential election and took office on January 20, 2025. This is his second non-consecutive term as president, having previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

For the citizenship test, you must know who is currently serving as president when you take your test. Presidents change through elections, so the answer to this question changes over time. Check current news before your citizenship interview to confirm who holds office.

The Essential Facts

For the citizenship test, you need to know the name of the current president. As of December 2025, the answer is Donald Trump or Trump. The test asks who is president now, not who was president in the past, so you must know the current officeholder.

Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, defeating the Democratic candidate. The Electoral College officially elected him in December 2024. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2025, becoming the 47th president. This makes him only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms. Grover Cleveland was the first, serving as both the 22nd and 24th president (1885-1889 and 1893-1897).

The President of the United States serves as head of state and head of government. The president leads the executive branch, commands the military, conducts foreign policy, and enforces federal laws. The president can sign or veto legislation, nominate federal judges and cabinet officials, and issue executive orders. These powers are defined in Article II of the Constitution.

What the President Does

The president has multiple constitutional roles and responsibilities:

Chief Executive: Runs the federal government, oversees executive departments and agencies, appoints cabinet members and federal officials. The president ensures laws are executed faithfully and manages the federal bureaucracy employing millions of people.

Commander in Chief: Leads the armed forces, makes military decisions, deploys troops. While Congress declares war, the president directs military operations and strategy. Modern presidents have extensive military authority.

Chief Diplomat: Conducts foreign relations, negotiates treaties, meets with foreign leaders, represents America internationally. The president sets foreign policy direction and speaks for the nation in international affairs.

Legislative Leader: Proposes legislation, signs or vetoes bills, delivers State of the Union address. While Congress makes laws, the president heavily influences what laws pass through vetoes, proposals, and political pressure.

Chief of State: Serves as ceremonial head of nation, represents national unity, performs symbolic duties. The president embodies the nation at state functions, national ceremonies, and moments of crisis or celebration.

Party Leader: Leads their political party, campaigns for party candidates, shapes party positions. The president is the most prominent member of their party and influences its direction and priorities.

How Someone Becomes President

To become president, a person must meet constitutional requirements: be at least 35 years old, be a natural-born U.S. citizen, and have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. These requirements appear in Article II of the Constitution.

The path to presidency typically involves several steps:

1. Declaration and Campaigning: Candidates announce their candidacy and campaign for their party’s nomination. They travel the country, hold rallies, participate in debates, and raise money. Campaigning begins a year or more before the election.

2. Primary Elections: Party members vote in primaries and caucuses to choose their party’s nominee. States hold these elections from February through June of election years. Candidates who win enough delegates secure their party’s nomination.

3. National Conventions: Political parties hold conventions in summer to formally nominate their presidential candidates. Delegates vote to select the nominee and the campaign officially begins for the general election.

4. General Election Campaign: The Democratic and Republican nominees, plus any third-party candidates, campaign across the country from convention until Election Day in November. They participate in debates, run advertisements, and appeal to voters.

5. Election Day: Americans vote in November. Technically they vote for electors pledged to candidates, not directly for president. The candidate who wins a state typically gets all that state’s electoral votes.

6. Electoral College: Electors meet in December and cast official votes for president. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes out of 538 total to win. The Electoral College system means winning the popular vote doesn’t guarantee winning the presidency.

7. Congressional Certification: Congress meets on January 6th to count electoral votes. The Vice President presides. After counting, Congress officially declares who won. This certification makes the election result official.

8. Inauguration: The president-elect takes the oath of office on January 20th, becoming president. The oath states: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Historical Context

Donald Trump first served as president from 2017 to 2021 after winning the 2016 election. He lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. After Biden’s term, Trump ran again in 2024 and won, returning to the presidency. This makes Trump unique in modern American politics as only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms.

Presidents historically serve at most two terms under the Twenty-Second Amendment. Franklin D. Roosevelt won four elections and served from 1933 until his death in 1945. After Roosevelt, Congress proposed the Twenty-Second Amendment limiting presidents to two elected terms. The amendment was ratified in 1951.

The presidency has evolved significantly since George Washington first held the office in 1789. Early presidents had limited staff and powers. Modern presidents command enormous executive agencies, extensive military forces, and sophisticated communication capabilities. Presidential power has grown substantially, though it remains limited by constitutional checks and balances.

The Vice President

Every president serves with a vice president. The vice president’s main constitutional duty is presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. The vice president also succeeds the president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office. Modern vice presidents often take on additional responsibilities assigned by the president, such as leading initiatives or representing the administration.

As of December 2025, JD Vance serves as Vice President. He was elected on the same ticket as President Trump in 2024. The president and vice president run together as a team. Voters choose both by voting for electors pledged to the ticket.

Connections That Matter

Understanding who the current president is connects to many aspects of American government. The president leads one of three branches, checking and balanced by Congress and courts. The president represents the United States internationally, making foreign policy decisions affecting Americans and people worldwide.

The president also connects to citizenship because the president oversees immigration enforcement through executive agencies. Policies about immigration, citizenship, and naturalization come from the executive branch under presidential direction. Understanding the president’s role helps understand how government decisions are made.

For more on presidential powers, see our article on the executive branch in the uscis-questions category. To understand presidential elections, explore our explanation of the Electoral College. To learn about presidential succession, read about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions

How long will Trump serve as president?
His current term runs through January 20, 2029, unless he resigns, is removed, or dies in office. He can serve this full four-year term.

Can Trump run again in 2028?
No. The Twenty-Second Amendment limits presidents to two elected terms. Trump has now served two terms (though not consecutively), so he cannot run again in 2028.

What if I take my citizenship test after a new president takes office?
You must know who is president when you take your test. If a new president is inaugurated before your test, you need to know the new president’s name. Check current news before your test.

Does the president have to be born in the United States?
Yes. The Constitution requires presidents to be natural-born citizens. This means born as U.S. citizens, either in the United States or to U.S. citizen parents abroad. Naturalized citizens cannot become president.

How old must someone be to become president?
At least 35 years old. The president must also have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. These requirements ensure presidents have maturity and familiarity with the country.

What happens if the president dies?
The vice president immediately becomes president and serves the remainder of the term. The new president then nominates a vice president, who must be confirmed by Congress. This procedure follows the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

Can the president be removed from office?
Yes, through impeachment. The House can impeach (charge) the president, and the Senate tries the case. Two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict for removal. Presidents can also be removed if disabled under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

Does the president make all government decisions?
No. The president shares power with Congress and courts. Congress makes laws. Courts interpret laws. The president executes laws and makes decisions within executive authority. No president can act alone without checks from other branches.

How much does the president get paid?
$400,000 per year, plus additional allowances for expenses. This salary is set by Congress and cannot be increased or decreased during a president’s term. The president also receives housing (White House) and transportation.

What should I memorize for the citizenship test?
Know who is currently president when you take your test. As of December 2025, the answer is Donald Trump or Trump. If you take the test later, verify the current president. The test asks about now, not past presidents.